George is fed up with all the problems we face everyday and has decided to make the world a better place. Every now and then George identifies one of these problems and comes up with a solution in form of an illustration.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Now here is a problem: Neckties

I don't actually need to wear them too often so neckties aren't much of a problem for me. In fact I quite like them, I find them pretty. Nevertheless on behalf of all the perplexed souls out there who wonder why it is necessary to walk around with a piece of fabric knotted (in the most complicated manner) around their neck, even though it might be 32°C outside, I will come up with a solution.

But first some history. Who came up with the idea of neckties?

You will not be surprised to know that the origin of the necktie as we know it today can be traced back to the French.

...although they stole the idea from the croatians. In 1620, during the Thirty Years War, Croatian mercenaries fought in the French services and one way of spotting them was to look for their typical neck tie. The French quite fancied those silky scarves and started copying them. It wasn't long till a huge fashion craze started. Shortly after, every Parisian and his/her puddle dog was pansying down the street in this attire.

Through the years the necktie has taken on various forms: bandanas, scarves... and today the necktie has become the key element of any formal wear. That's the history of the necktie in a nutshell. And for all you necktie haters out there who are reading this blog I want to add this comforting piece of information: you are not alone in hating ties. There are actually some real anti-necktie movements. Google it; you might be able to join. Among other things these associations argue is that there are many health risks with neckties. Personaly I can think of quite a few. For example; a tie caught in the door of an elevator. I am sure that it is what happened to this poor man.

This is a sign found in elevators in Sweden. I am not sure what the message is, but it is very likely that it warns us of one of the hazards of wearing a necktie.

But let's come back to the initial question. Why just neckties? Why not somthing else? Can we not find something more practical to wrap around our necks. Like, for example:

A Jedi sword. You never know when you might need one. OK, fine, probably not that often, plus they are very hard to get hold of. Why not then....

A lunch box! Maybe a bit too heavy... and, true, you don't need to eat all the time. But you must admit it is quite practical...